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l'Ancien Cafe
Aubigne, France | Vacation RentalsStarting at $350 per week
Surrounding Area
l'Ancien Cafe is near to the wine producing regions of Cognac, Bordeaux and the Loire River Valley. There are over 110 chateaux within 90 miles which are open to the public. Our cottages are convenient to the Atlantic coastal beaches for swimming, boating, sightseeing; Marais Poitivan (Green Venice of France); Limoges for porcelain; Futuroscope, a futuristic Disneyland-type theme park; and cognac distilleries and tours. Many day trips can be made to Lourdes, San Sebastian (Spain), Lascaux (cave paintings), Gouffre de Padirac (underground caverns, Rocamadour (village built into the side of a hill) and much, much more. Detailed information is available from our brochure, which is free for the asking!
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Vacation Rental Property
Nestled on almost 2 acres, the cottages are surrounded by lush gardens, orchards and a private courtyard for outdoor enjoyment.
Kitchen: The kitchen in the Cave Cottage is adorned with natural stone walls (blackened by the distillation of cognac during the war). Each kitchen has a gas cooker, electric fridge, coffee maker, toaster and enough flatware, dishes and all the utensils you will need to serve 12 hungry guests. A supply of paper goods, plastic sacks, and washing up materials are there for you, again, at no additional charge.
Sitting Room (Livingroom): You can kick back and relax or entertain. Plenty of comfy sofas and chairs. Some will convert into a double bed for those unexpected visitors. Halogen and incandescent lighting is there for your selection. A wide variety of tour maps and reference materials are supplied for your use and enjoyment. I almost forgot to mention the fireplace.
Heating and Cooling: During the summer, the inside temp is mild as the walls are approximately 28 inches thick. No need for fans (although we have one if you want) or air conditioning. In the winter, when it gets nippy outdoors, that can be relieved with the fireplace or your choice of available electric or gas heaters. No worries at l'Ancien Café.
Laundry Room: A special room is set aside for the laundry chores, if you desire. An electric, automatic washer is available for your use and nature has provided lots of sunshine and breezes to make your clothes dry and smelling fresh.
Gardens: Try not to get lost in the spacious gardens. The two orchards have fruit trees including apples, cherries and pears. The back end of the cottage is covered with 4 varieties of grapes and elderberries. They are there for you to enjoy. Garden furniture and barbecues are there for your use.
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Kitchen: The kitchen in the Cave Cottage is adorned with natural stone walls (blackened by the distillation of cognac during the war). Each kitchen has a gas cooker, electric fridge, coffee maker, toaster and enough flatware, dishes and all the utensils you will need to serve 12 hungry guests. A supply of paper goods, plastic sacks, and washing up materials are there for you, again, at no additional charge.
Sitting Room (Livingroom): You can kick back and relax or entertain. Plenty of comfy sofas and chairs. Some will convert into a double bed for those unexpected visitors. Halogen and incandescent lighting is there for your selection. A wide variety of tour maps and reference materials are supplied for your use and enjoyment. I almost forgot to mention the fireplace.
Heating and Cooling: During the summer, the inside temp is mild as the walls are approximately 28 inches thick. No need for fans (although we have one if you want) or air conditioning. In the winter, when it gets nippy outdoors, that can be relieved with the fireplace or your choice of available electric or gas heaters. No worries at l'Ancien Café.
Laundry Room: A special room is set aside for the laundry chores, if you desire. An electric, automatic washer is available for your use and nature has provided lots of sunshine and breezes to make your clothes dry and smelling fresh.
Gardens: Try not to get lost in the spacious gardens. The two orchards have fruit trees including apples, cherries and pears. The back end of the cottage is covered with 4 varieties of grapes and elderberries. They are there for you to enjoy. Garden furniture and barbecues are there for your use.
Sleeps & # of Bedrooms
Bedrooms: In the larger gite (Cave Cottage), three large bedrooms (1 downstairs and 2 upstairs) are furnished with 3 double beds, 4 single beds and bunk-style beds. In the Café cottage, two large bedrooms upstairs are equipped with double and single beds, and an additional room with a sleeper sofa that can be used for sleeping space. Each bedroom is complimented by sufficient furnishings and clothes hanging area to make it possible for you to unpack before you start your adventure. Plenty of room to keep from tripping on your baggage. Hardwood floors and oak beam and hardwood ceiling construction make the bedrooms extra special. They come complete with linens and towels at no additional charge!!!
Toilet (W/C, Loo, Bathroom): Bath, shower, and lots of counter space. A 40 gallon water heater (in each cottage) supplies all of the hot water you will need. Also included is a supply of soap, towels (of course) and the ever-popular electric hair dryer! Each cottage has an additional and separate toilet room.
The cottages can each accommodate 9-12 guests in comfort.
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Toilet (W/C, Loo, Bathroom): Bath, shower, and lots of counter space. A 40 gallon water heater (in each cottage) supplies all of the hot water you will need. Also included is a supply of soap, towels (of course) and the ever-popular electric hair dryer! Each cottage has an additional and separate toilet room.
The cottages can each accommodate 9-12 guests in comfort.
Amenities
Each cottage has telephone service for local calls and to receive calls from anywhere. There is a stereo/CD for your use. Also each cottage has a fireplace or wood burning stove, in addition to gas bottle and electric heating, if needed.
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Services Offered
In addition to fine accommodation, we will provide you with advice and assistance in locating auto hire, bicycle hire, routings (detailed maps), itineraries, advise on money exchange and train travel and ensure that all you will need for a wonderful holiday. All of this is in your hands before you leave home, including the keys. While at l'Ancien Café, your local hosts live nearby (and not in your face), are bilingual and can provide you with on the spot information and assistance to ensure your stay is a memorable one. All electricity (within reason of course), gas, atmosphere and star-filled nighttime skies are included in the price. Did I mention that you don't have to bring any bed linens or towels? Those come with the cottage as well. After all, if you are driving in from Europe, who wants to drive home with a car load of dirty linens and towels?
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Policies & Restrictions
l'Ancien welcomes guests of all ages, genders, religious and ethinc backgrounds. For your health, we suggest that smoking be limited to only those guests over 100 years of age, when accompanied by their parents. However, if you must, we certainly do not mind, but recommend that it be done outdoors.
Pets are an important part of our lives. We request that they enjoy their holiday time in the comfort of their own homes. Thanks for your cooperation.
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Pets are an important part of our lives. We request that they enjoy their holiday time in the comfort of their own homes. Thanks for your cooperation.
Other Information
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why should I stay at l'Ancien Café when there are Bed and Breakfasts and Hotels?
Taking responsibility for your destiny is an important part of being a Francophile. Besides, dollar for dollar, pound for pound, your money will go farther, you will have more room to spread out and there won't be a bellman holding his hand out looking for a gratuity.
Can I use l'Ancien Café as a base of operations and take different day trips to interesting places?
Thousands of years of French history, architecture and culture are yours for the asking. If you can tolerate being in the car for two hours, you can visit Limoges (world renown for its porcelain), Poitiers (Futuroscope), La Rochelle, Royan and Rochefort (beautiful seaside communities), Isle d'Oléron and Isle de Ré are off the coast and like a step back in time. Bordeaux and the Medoc Region boast Chateau Lefite Rothschild and Chateau Mouton Rothschild. The famous Loire River Valley and its well known chateaux (if you really want to see more than the 100+ chateaux that are closer to the cottage), Niort (its dungeon and museums), Oradour sur Glane (the village devastated on June 10, 1944 by SS stormtroopers), Coulon and Arcais (Marais Poitevin, the Green Venice of France…need I say more). That is just to name a few.
Are there good eating places to enjoy?
The French pride themselves on their food and their love of eating and enjoying. Lunches last 2 hours and dinners can go on for 4 hours if you like. We will make a number of suggestions on restaurants that we have experienced and come with our full recommendation. Restaurant dining costs the same or less than the cost of dining in any major city in a comparable place, but what a difference in the foods, selection and flavor!
What about nightlife? Are there clubs nearby?
There are some clubs about 30 minutes away, but not too many. Typically, if that is the type of holiday you want, the French countryside is not your best choice. If your style of enjoyment is strolling down a country lane, listening to the birds, watching the sunflowers sway in the breeze while the sun is setting as late as 10:00 PM (late June and early July), the keys are waiting for you.
If I have never met you and you want me to send you all that money, what happens if I get there and the cottage doesn't exist? I am a bit wary.
We cannot blame you for having that kind of concern. We have been renting l'Ancien Café to holiday groups like yourselves for several years. We want to share a great experience with those who will appreciate it and care for our cottages as we do. We have a number of letters from previous guests who have sent their money without knowing what would happen once they arrived and many of them have come by air from the US, Canada and the Middle East. We are pleased to send copies of their letters to you on request. You can call or write to our prior guests and they will confirm that there is nothing for you to worry about. This is your holiday, remember?
My family likes to ride bicycles and go swimming. How can you help?
Bicycles are available for short term rental from different sources in the area. We can reserve them for you, just let us know. As for swimming, there are numerous public "Piscines" and lakes in villages a short drive away. We chose to not have a pool on the premises for your benefit and security and to keep our prices as low as they are. The best swimming experience is in the Atlantic at Chatillion Plage or at Lac Lambon or one of the many beaches south of La Rochelle toward Bordeaux.
Why should I stay at l'Ancien Café when there are Bed and Breakfasts and Hotels?
Taking responsibility for your destiny is an important part of being a Francophile. Besides, dollar for dollar, pound for pound, your money will go farther, you will have more room to spread out and there won't be a bellman holding his hand out looking for a gratuity.
Can I use l'Ancien Café as a base of operations and take different day trips to interesting places?
Thousands of years of French history, architecture and culture are yours for the asking. If you can tolerate being in the car for two hours, you can visit Limoges (world renown for its porcelain), Poitiers (Futuroscope), La Rochelle, Royan and Rochefort (beautiful seaside communities), Isle d'Oléron and Isle de Ré are off the coast and like a step back in time. Bordeaux and the Medoc Region boast Chateau Lefite Rothschild and Chateau Mouton Rothschild. The famous Loire River Valley and its well known chateaux (if you really want to see more than the 100+ chateaux that are closer to the cottage), Niort (its dungeon and museums), Oradour sur Glane (the village devastated on June 10, 1944 by SS stormtroopers), Coulon and Arcais (Marais Poitevin, the Green Venice of France…need I say more). That is just to name a few.
Are there good eating places to enjoy?
The French pride themselves on their food and their love of eating and enjoying. Lunches last 2 hours and dinners can go on for 4 hours if you like. We will make a number of suggestions on restaurants that we have experienced and come with our full recommendation. Restaurant dining costs the same or less than the cost of dining in any major city in a comparable place, but what a difference in the foods, selection and flavor!
What about nightlife? Are there clubs nearby?
There are some clubs about 30 minutes away, but not too many. Typically, if that is the type of holiday you want, the French countryside is not your best choice. If your style of enjoyment is strolling down a country lane, listening to the birds, watching the sunflowers sway in the breeze while the sun is setting as late as 10:00 PM (late June and early July), the keys are waiting for you.
If I have never met you and you want me to send you all that money, what happens if I get there and the cottage doesn't exist? I am a bit wary.
We cannot blame you for having that kind of concern. We have been renting l'Ancien Café to holiday groups like yourselves for several years. We want to share a great experience with those who will appreciate it and care for our cottages as we do. We have a number of letters from previous guests who have sent their money without knowing what would happen once they arrived and many of them have come by air from the US, Canada and the Middle East. We are pleased to send copies of their letters to you on request. You can call or write to our prior guests and they will confirm that there is nothing for you to worry about. This is your holiday, remember?
My family likes to ride bicycles and go swimming. How can you help?
Bicycles are available for short term rental from different sources in the area. We can reserve them for you, just let us know. As for swimming, there are numerous public "Piscines" and lakes in villages a short drive away. We chose to not have a pool on the premises for your benefit and security and to keep our prices as low as they are. The best swimming experience is in the Atlantic at Chatillion Plage or at Lac Lambon or one of the many beaches south of La Rochelle toward Bordeaux.
Nearby Attractions and Services
| Description | Distance |
|---|---|
| Atlantic beaches and coastal activities |
45 miles |
| Cognac distilleries, tours and tastings |
20 miles |
| Wine and cheese tastings |
Everywhere |
| Fresh Air and Clear Skies |
Outside |
| Nightly starscape from horizon to horizo |
Back Garden |
| Limoges porcelain manufacturing and sale |
1:45 drive |
| Bordeaux and Loire River Valley |
2 hour drive |
| Border of Spain |
4 hour drive |
| Ancient Roman Ruins |
30 minutes |
| Medoc, St. Emilion, Mouton Rothschild |
2 hours or less |
Map & Directions
Detailed written directions and maps are provided to each group and sent with the keys, about a month before your arrival. We are a pleasant 4 hour drive from Paris or St. Malo. Or you can take the train from Charles de Gaulle Airport to either Poitiers (one hour drive) or Niort (35 minute drive) and rent a car right in the train station. To find Aubigne on your map, take the most detailed map of France that you have and look for La Rochelle, central to the country on the Atlantic coast. Aubigne is situated about 40 miles due east of La Rochelle, between Niort and Cognac.
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